With a record number of submissions, this year’s Women in Law Awards are the most hotly contested to date, with the finalists representing some of the best and brightest in the legal profession.

The winners of this year’s Women in Law Awards will be announced at a black-tie evening on Friday, 20 October 2017, at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.

To learn more about the event, click here.

To purchase tickets, click here.

For any further enquiries, please contact Craig Lynch on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 02 9922 3300.

The finalists for the 2017 Women in Law Awards are:

Academic of the Year

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Marilyn Pittard, Monash University

Cathy Sherry, UNSW Sydney

Chinelle van der Westhuizen, University of Notre Dame

Barrister of the Year

Dearne Firth, Queensland Bar

Dominique Hogan-Doran SC, Australian Bar

Katherine Brazenor, Victorian Bar

Laura Keily, Ninian Stephen Chambers

Boutique Diversity Law Firm of the Year

JHK Legal

NDA Law

Harmers Workplace Lawyers

Dealmaker of the Year

Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Gilbert + Tobin

Kylie Lane, Ashurst

Kylie de Oliveira, Clayton Utz

Meredith Paynter, King & Wood Mallesons

Julie Levis, Clayton Utz

Diversity Law Firm of the Year

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Dentons

Herbert Smith Freehills

King & Wood Mallesons

Clayton Utz

Maddocks

LegalVision

Ashurst

Kreisson

Gilbert + Tobin

Executive of the Year

Sue Kench, King & Wood Mallesons

Mary Digiglio, Swaab Attorneys

Kate Jordan, Clayton Utz

Jacqueline Keddie, Nexus Law Group

Janelle Kerrisk, Helix Legal

Andrea Michaels, NDA Law

Petra Stirling, Gilbert + Tobin

Chrissy Leontios, CLEON Legal and Mediation Services

Gina Szwider, Bespoke

Marianne Marchesi, Legalite

General Counsel of the Year

Sheree Siow, AIA Australia

Kate Eastoe, oOh!media

Bronwyn Kerr, Atlas Iron Limited

Ilona Alsters, Ruralco Holdings Limited

Sarah Turner, REA Group Ltd

Katrina Johnson, Uber Asia Pacific

Paula Robinson, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation

Sarah Tinsley, Australian Radio Network

Anna Lozynski, L’Oreal Australia & New Zealand

HR Professional of the Year

Leanda Nissen, Russell Kennedy Lawyers

Louise Ferris, McCullough Robertson

Maria Zoras-Christo, Patrick

Mary Lyras, MinterEllison

Clare Monger, K&L Gates

Kieran Naylor, Thynne + Macartney

Anna Quilter, Ashurst

Helen Calladine, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Anne Reeves, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

In-house Lawyer of the Year

Shanti Berggren, Singtel Optus

Charmaine Byrne, Westpac Banking Corporation

Olivia Perks, The University of Sydney

April Rich, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation

Haylen Pong, Salmat

Tina Davey, AIA Australia

Jenny Taing, Vanguard Australia

Jane Lye, Australian Government Solicitor

Joanna Moore, The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland

Fiona Harding, Bank of Queensland

Tracey Scott, Football Federation Australia

Law Student of the Year

Alex Armstrong-Millar, Telstra, Western Sydney University

Stephanie Blancquart, UNSW Sydney

Amy Bradley, University of Notre Dame

Elizabeth Bruce, Cominos Family Lawyers, University of Sydney/LPAB

Claudia Carr, Herbert Smith Freehills, Curtin University

Hannah Krieger, Community Legal Centres Queensland, Queensland University of Queensland

Hannah McDonald, Monash University

Jessica Popple, University of the Sunshine Coast

Courtney Rickersey, Griffith University

Marija Yelavich, Dare to Know Publications, Western Sydney University

Marketing Communications Executive of the Year

Rebecca Hanlan, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

Cathy Baker, Community Legal Centres Queensland

Caitlin Chambers, MinterEllison

Anita Thompson, LOD - Lawyers On Demand

Krisanti Fisher, Dentons

Kathy Zmijewski, McDonald Murholme

Kate Ritchie, Dentons

Mentor of the Year

Victoria Hepburn, MinterEllison

Emma Hodgman, DibbsBarker

Meda Royall, Your Law Firm

Sarah Frost, Herbert Smith Freehills

Bronwyn Lincoln, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

April Rich, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation

Jane Hall, Ashurst

Monica Blizzard, KHQ Lawyers

Mary Still, Clayton Utz

Catherine Dunlop, Maddocks

Not-for-profit Lawyer of the Year

Kate Grant, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) Ltd

Angela Lynch, Women's Legal Service Queensland

Sharell O'Brien, North Queensland Women's Legal Service

Rosslyn Monro, Community Legal Centres Queensland

Helen Pearce, The Humanitarian Group

Ciara Daly, Aboriginal Legal Service

Sarah Dale, Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS)

Kimberly Randle, International Justice Mission Australia

Partner of the Year

Maree Skinner, DibbsBarker

Samantha O'Brien, DLA Piper

Karen Ingram, Clayton Utz

Melissa Fenton, Colin Biggers & Paisley

Louise Massey, Dentons

Rebecca Castley, Colin Biggers & Paisley

Catherine Dunlop, Maddocks

Caroline Hutchinson, Coleman Greig Lawyers

Belinda Michalk, Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Claire Rogers, King & Wood Mallesons

Pro bono Lawyer of the Year

Danielle Barry, Allens

Jessie Smith, Stary Norton Halphen

Tamara Sims, Gilbert + Tobin

Amy Burton, Salvos Legal Humanitarian

Charlotte Yellowlees, Salvos Legal Humanitarian

Emily Schneider, Wotton + Kearney

Francesca Lai, Hall & Wilcox

Michelle Berry, Hall & Wilcox

Alexandra Pieniazek, King & Wood Mallesons

Senior Associate of the Year

Erika Williams, McCullough Robertson

Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

Susan Accary, Slater and Gordon Lawyers

Wendy Hsu, Gilbert + Tobin

Karen Dwyer, Ashurst

Millie Richmond-Scott, MinterEllison

Jessica Norris, MinterEllison

Danielle Monti, K&L Gates

Maria Panos, Henry Davis York

Agata Bober, King & Wood Mallesons

Sole Practitioner of the Year

Jennifer Hetherington, Hetherington Family Law

Despina Priala, Priala Legal

Marianne Marchesi, Legalite

Anne-Marie Cade, Divorce Right Pty Ltd

Kristi McCusker, KMC Legal

Dorota Bryks, Bryks Lawyers

Courtney Bowie, Her Lawyer

Jeanette Jifkins, Onyx Online Law

Rebecca Harper, Harpers Legal

Caroline Counsel, Caroline Counsel Family Lawyers: Better Families, Brighter Futures

Special Counsel of the Year

Julia Sutherland, Ashurst

Ahranee Vijayaseelan, Hall & Wilcox

Catherine Boxhall, DibbsBarker

Jennifer Harris, Clayton Utz

Monique Carroll, King & Wood Mallesons

Jennifer Barron, Gilbert + Tobin

Arabella Dove, Ashurst

Venetia Bennett, K&L Gates

Kate Casellas, Clayton Utz

Felicity Saxon, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Thought Leader of the Year

Pamela Cominos, Cominos Family Lawyers

Belinda Wilson, Law Institute of Victoria

Cassandra Banks, Susan Green Legal Practice

Kristy Perdriau, Perdriau Family Lawyers

Tricia Hobson, Norton Rose Fulbright

Cassandra Heilbronn, MinterEllison

Anne-Marie Cade, Divorce Right Pty Ltd

Andrea Michaels, NDA Law

Sarah Roach, Helix Legal

Chrissy Leontios, CLEON Legal and Mediation Services

Young Gun of the Year

Aleksandra Ilic, King & Wood Mallesons

Amy Zhang, Harmers Workplace Lawyers

Marina Kofman, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Anneka Frayne, Stacks Law Firm

Veronika Drago, Slater and Gordon Lawyers

Hannah Morris, Mills Oakley

Julie Abdalla, MinterEllison

Phoebe Blank, TressCox Lawyers

Lara Solomons, Clayton Utz

Tegan Harrington, Corrs Chambers Westgarth